


Photographs

by DespairAsSweetAsCitrus



Category: citrus - サブロウタ | citrus - Saburouta
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-14 10:51:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13588524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DespairAsSweetAsCitrus/pseuds/DespairAsSweetAsCitrus
Summary: “I’m going to change” Yuzu angrily huffed as she walked briskly out of the room. A silence was filled in the dining room as Ume and Mei sat alone wondering if they’d just gone too far. Feeling guilty  Ume looked at Mei and sighed before getting up and reaching into a cupboard above their television.Small fluffy one-shot set in the middle of chapter 17. (When we find out about Yuzu's hair)





	Photographs

“I’m going to change” Yuzu angrily huffed as she walked briskly out of the room. A silence was filled in the dining room as Ume and Mei sat alone wondering if they’d just gone too far. Feeling guilty Ume looked at Mei and sighed before getting up and reaching into a cupboard above their television. Mei watched intently and was growing more and more curious as to what her Mom was doing before she pulled out a big folder with the words marked ‘photo album’ on the front in a baby pink coloured cursive font and happily walked her way back to the table. Assuming that she was going to show Mei photos, she sat to attention and went to reach out to grab the book before Ume interrupted. 

 

“Yuzu hates seeing these because it reminds her of what happened with her Father” Ume said sadly, her face wrinkled as though she was about to cry.

 

“I’ll go see how Yuzu is before we look.” Mei stood up from the table and made her way towards there bedroom, her Mom following suit and going towards the kitchen to grab a beer. 

 

Mei entered the bedroom and saw Yuzu fiddling with the ends of her hair, beautiful tussles flowing down her half naked body. ‘How dare she even think of changing that beautiful golden hair.’ Mei thought as she approached Yuzu, the blonde suddenly turned around, startled. 

 

“Hey Mei, sorry I’ll pick up all my clothes in a second” Yuzu laughed nervously. Mei stayed silent walking towards her, slightly blushing at the compliments Yuzu was spurting out without care before putting her arms gently around Yuzu’s waist, moving a hand to play with her hair. 

 

“This hair colour, maybe it’s okay to keep it this way. Black hair wouldn’t suit the real you” Mei said softly in Yuzu’s ear, sincerity and passion flowing out. Ultimately this made Yuzu freeze up but in her chest she was bursting with joy and a warmth spread through her body. Yuzu only came down from this feeling when Mei moved away from her walking towards the door, a smile plastered along Yuzu’s face. 

 

“Get a bath Yuzu, it’s a long day tomorrow.” Mei seriously suggested, her school president persona back on. 

 

“Okay Mei.” Yuzu said quietly.

 

Yuzu waited until Mei had actually left the room before she spoke to herself softly under her breath. “Thank you Mei, a weight has been lifted from me” and then making her way to the bathroom. Meanwhile in the dining room, Ume was describing Yuzu’s Father with great fondness and detail before pulling a picture of him out and handing it to Mei. The resemblance was unreal between Father and Daughter, it almost took Mei’s breath away. The same hair, the same eyes, face shape, smile, same glint in her eyes all encaptured in the one photo with a 3 year old Yuzu happily laughing on top of her Father’s shoulders, Mei could imagine the scene and it sent a shiver of fondness down her spine, Mei imagines she would have got along with Yuzu’s Father. Across the table Ume sat watching Mei’s expression, the beer she had just consumed keeping her from feeling any sadness threatening to creep up into her throat and eyes. A few more minutes of flipping through photos passed before Mei noticed a photo of Yuzu in a school uniform, a very serious expression on her face, stood next to a authoritative looking figure. 

 

“Ah! Wow I forgot about this!” Ume said in surprise

 

“What is it?” Mei said quietly, oddly enough almost fearing the answer. 

 

Ume pulled out the photo and looked at it intently before handing it to Mei. “Yuzu, even though you wouldn’t think it now was once the Vice President of her old school” she pointed out the band on her arm. “She was also the school’s sports captain” pointing out the second band just below her Student council band. ‘Yuzu was a two banded student?!’ Mei was shocked, lost for words completely. Ume noticed this and carried on explaining, handing Mei another photo of Yuzu with a basketball between her arms, kneeling on the floor in front of a team of girls all in sports uniforms. 

 

“She was a big deal in her old school, very busy! Not quite as busy as you and your Vice President, obviously the school was a bit more relaxed than the school you two girls go to now but still a lot of responsibility.” 

 

Mei’s mind was whirling with questions she wanted to ask but the words got stuck somewhere in the back of her throat.

 

“That was until she lost it all.” Ume said in a hushed tone so that Yuzu couldn’t hear her. There was a long and uncomfortable pause. 

 

“Wh...What happened?” Mei said quietly, she needed to know but was hesitant. Ume sighed and got out of her chair to go get another beer. Mei waited patiently, her questions agonisingly burning in her head, Ume returned to her seat before starting.

 

“Yuzu was offered president, she won the election and most students wanted her to run the school, it was all set. She was popular, smart, social, sporty. She fit everyone’s boxes but she turned it down.”

 

“Why?” Mei pushed further.

 

“She didn’t want it, she didn’t want so much heavy work, she was already struggling with the work she had, she just didn’t want anymore and whilst that seems fair in our eyes, the school took a less kind approach to it. She was axed from everything, she lost Vice President, she was dropped out of all sports teams and worst of all her ‘friends’ Ume put air quotes around the word to stress the fakeness. “All started bullying her, she was hospitalised after she was beaten up so badly” Ume turned a few pages whilst explaining that the next photo was only here because of a very long and arduous lawsuit. She stopped on a horrific photo of Yuzu in hospital, bruised and battered, sweating and a look of pain written all over her face. Mei couldn’t breath, the photo was hurting her, seeing Yuzu hurt was hurting Mei even if it was 3 years ago. She was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn’t even realise hot tears were rolling down her face and onto the wood of the table below her and before she knew it loud sobbing cries hung heavy in the room. She felt like there was a weight being pressed on her chest. How could they be so cruel to her? What did she ever do?!

 

“Oh no Mei don’t cry it’s okay! I’ll get some tissue.” Ume rushed up and ran to get tissue from the kitchen to help the crying girl. 

 

Yuzu had just exited the bath when she heard crying coming from the dining room, she assumed it was her Mom and got changed quickly, running out the room she stopped in her tracks, shocked to see it was Mei. ‘Mei was crying? She’d never cried before. Oh God something must be really wrong!’ Yuzu ran over to Mei, enveloping her in the tightest and most caring hug she could, forcing her to stand so she could cover more of her body, a protective shield was how she saw it. Mei buried her face into Yuzu’s neck and put her arms around Yuzu’s waist, gripping as hard as she could, as though she would float off if she didn’t hold onto her. Ume exited the room, handing her the tissue, signalling to Yuzu that she would give them some privacy before going into her own bedroom, she just nodded back in understanding. Yuzu stood whispering ‘shhh’ and ‘it’s okay’ into Mei’s non sensitive ear before she looked up at the table and noticed the photo book open on the photo of that fateful day. Yuzu’s chest stilled and her breath hitched with memories of that day flooding back into her mind, now realising what was the matter with the crying girl. A sadness flushed over her but she was brought crashing down to reality when Mei lifted her face from Yuzu’s neck and kissed her on the lips, she knew that the kiss was telling her that Mei would never do anything so wrong, that she would protect her and all Yuzu could do was smile into the kiss before Mei pulled away and slung her arms over her shoulders, small hiccups in Yuzu’s ears making her smile as she guided her towards their room.

 

“Come on, let’s get you to bed.” Yuzu said softly Before opening the door and slowly sliding it shut. The girls room was bathed in a warm blue hue and the moons light was illuminating features on Mei’s face, some she had never seen before but all that made her fall in love with her harder. Mei seemed to have calmed down from the photo and was now tired and weak feeling. She hated feeling weak but for once she felt safe because she knew Yuzu was here and never letting go. Mei walked over to the bed, a yawn rising up in her throat and realised just how tired she was. Yuzu was busying herself with finding Mei’s pyjamas, ‘she looks so beautiful’ Mei thought to herself watching her Sister as she slumped her shoulders in defeat and went to her draw to get out some of Yuzu’s own clothes. Yuzu turned around and purple eyes met green. Green has always been Mei’s favourite colour, she always wondered why but now she thinks she knows the answer, Yuzu’s face blushed bright red from the long sustained eye contact and was now determined to get Mei in her pyjamas, walking over she lifted Mei’s arms and pulled off her t-shirt, careful to avoid any inappropriate contact. The cold air that hit Mei as her shirt was lifted off of her was almost refreshing, in the same way a cool drink on a hot day was. Yuzu unfolded the t-shirt and Mei laughed slightly when she noticed it was the letters shirt that her and Yuzu had first kissed in, the fond memory making her chest feel warm and her heart pound. Yuzu gently put the t-shirt on over her head, smiling as she also knew the significance and feeling the same warmth that Mei was. She noticed Mei’s breath hitched and worried that she’d hurt her or touched her accidentally.

 

“Sorry Mei, did I hurt you?” Yuzu said in a panicked and rushed manner.

 

“No, my breath got caught because it smells like you.” There was a long pause. “I like it” Mei gave a small fond smile and Yuzu reciprocated it. ‘She really is perfect’ Yuzu thought whilst getting Mei into her shorts and pushing her back lightly on her chest to signal for Mei to go lay in bed. Mei understood and followed her orders, watching Yuzu very closely to try and see what she was going to do next. Yuzu got changed into her own pyjamas and moved next to Mei’s side of the bed, she leaned over and grabbed the covers, pulling them up to Mei’s chin before tucking the sides in. ‘Was Yuzu tucking her in? I’ve never been tucked in before.’ Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a warm Yuzu slide into bed next to her, turning to face her, Mei stayed unmoved, worried that if she looked at Yuzu right now she’d say something stupid or come across as cold. ‘Mei what are you worrying about, this is Yuzu, she loves you.’ Mei moved, keeping away from Yuzu’s beaming eyes that felt like they were boring into the back of her skull. A soft, warm arm enveloped her whole body and she was pulled closer next to her, soft heartbeats and the slow rhythm of Yuzu’s chest going up and down is all it took before darkness enveloped her and Mei fell limp in Yuzu’s arms. 

 

Yuzu has noticed Mei had fallen asleep and gave her a soft smile, she looked so peaceful. Her soft face with no stress or worry was carefree in a deep sleep. Light huffs of breath and quiet snores was all that could be heard. Mei never believed Yuzu when she would tell her she snores but oddly enough she likes it that way, knowing it was something that only she knew about Mei, a secret of some sort, it made her slightly giddy. Black slick hair fell down her face, covering her eyes which Yuzu softly brushed away, playing with it a little before moving it away completely. She like the way Mei looked in her clothes and made a mental note to try and persuade her to wear them more often, slightly too baggy but comfortable looking. Yuzu was starting to feel herself drift off to sleep and knew she should get the rest too. Yuzu placed a light kiss on her forehead and a gentle “I love you” in her ears before laying down, head resting against Mei’s gently and drifting off to sleep.


End file.
